Internal-combustion engine



y 30, 1944- H. v WILCOXSON 2,350,005

- INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 25. 940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z7 Z5 1 29 2e 2 26 mm u'wwwwv I ii W] i /0 53 $3 H. w WILCOXI'ON INVENTOR.

y 30, 4- H. v. WILCOXSON 7 2,350,005

- INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ../I\-5J 1 1 5/ I I T 5 51, Am; qwuwv 9 BY 40 J 3 Maw May 30, 1944.

H. v. WILCOXSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 h. V: W/z (0x504 IN V EN TOR. BY flidziw Jim /3 QM? Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Henry V. Wilcoxson, Lubbock, Tex. Application February 23, 1940, Serial No. 320.290 1 cam (oi. 60-41) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an internal combustion engine, particularly an engine of the rotary type and in which the expanding gases are conducted thru passages in a rotor where the change in direction and expansion of the gases impart the energy of such gases to the rotor.

A primary object is to provide an internal combustion engine which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

Another object is to provide a rotary type of internal combustion engine in which the energy of an expanding gas is transferred to the rotor by controlling the direction and expansion of the gas as it passes thru the rotor.

Another object is to provide means for admitting cooling air to the rotor of the engine during a portion of each revolution of the rotor.

Still anotherfiobject is to provide an internal combustion eiigine in which the number and mass of reciprocating parts are minimized.

A more specific objectisto provide an internal combustion engine of the rotary type in which the rotor is so constructed as to provide an intake chamber for a combustible gas and to cooperate with valve means to compress such gas within a combustion chamber within which the gas is ignited.

The foregoing objects together with other objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view thru one unit of a construction embodying the invention and is taken on the line I-l in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section of the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rotors showing the arrangement of the gas passages therein and the manner of exhausting the expanding gases from these passages;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the tongue or compression valve; 0 I

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-! in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rotor illustrating the configuration of the passages therein.

For purposes of proper balancing it is intended that the engine embodying the invention shall comprise units in multiples of two and such the desired operating characteristics will be realized. The illustrative drawings disclose an engine comprising two units referred to as I and 2 which are relatively oriented at 180. For simplicity in explanation, portions of the following description are directed to but one of these idenunits will bear such relative angular relation that tical units.

The numeral 3 refers to a stator or base having an internal cylindrical bore 4 which is closedat its ends by heads 5 and 6, thus forming an internal chamber within which rotors l and 8 are mounted upon a shaft 9 passing thru openings in the heads 5 and 6. The shaft 9 is operatively connected to valve mechanisms generally re ferred to as l0 and also serves as the output shaft for the engine.

Secured to and forming a part of the stator3 is the firing or combustionchamb'er l5 having an orifice or passageway chamber interiorly of the stator. the orifice l 6, assuming rotation of In advance of the engine in indicated by the arrow 30, is an intake valve housing i6 provided with a valve i! which is normally held in closed position by means of a spring l8 and which is moved to open position by means of a cam surface IS on the camshaft 20 which is driven by means of a. chain or other suitable driving means indicated as 2| in Fig. 2. A suitable intake for combustible gas is provided in the conduit 2| from any suitable vaporizing or supercharging mechanism (not shown) as well known in the art.

Rearwardly of the orifice Hi there is provided a sliding abutment 25 which passes thru an opening 26 in the wall of the stator 3. outer end of this abutment is guided thru an opening 24 in a support 21 integral with the stator and providing a chamber 22 about the valve member to receive springs 28 which engage a flariged portion 29 of the abutment so that the abutment will be constantly forced inwardly to serve a purpose that will more fully appear.

As already indicated the rotor is adapted to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l and as indicated by the arrow 30. This rotor has an annular peripheral groove 3| providing spaced shoulders 32 which fit in close contact with complementary shoulders 32 interiorly of the stator 3. Compression rings 33 (Fig. 2) are provided in grooves 34 in the shoulders 32 to effect a seal between these complementary shoulders.

As best seen in Fig. 1 a portion of the rotor 8 is cut away at 54 between the shoulders 32 I B which leads to the" The formed by the groove 3 I, such cut away portion l5, for combustion as by a suitable spark supplied gradually increasing in depth from points spaced thru the spark plug 51.

approximately 180 on the periphery of the rotor A In the operation of the illustrated embodiment and being of such width as to receive the inner of the invention power is applied to the shaft I end of the sliding abutment 25 and to form a 5 from any suitable source, such as the convenseal therewith. It is believed apparent that as tional starter (not shown). The intake chamber" the rotor revolves and the cut away portion ap- 54, after passing the sliding abutment 25, is at proaches the sliding abutment 25, any gases sub-atmospheric pressure and when such chainentrapped therein will be forced thru the orifice ber reaches the intake valve H and such valve l6 and into the compression chamber l5. Such 10 opens a charge of combustible gas will be adentrapp d gases will obviously be those remainmitted thereto thru the conduit 2|.

ing within the chamber during the preceding Continued rotation of the rotor causes the slidrevolution and also those admitted thru the coning valve 25 to enter the intake chamber 54 and duit 2| and the valve l'l during the intake porforce the combustible gases therefrom and into tion of the revolution of the rotor. 1 the compression chamber i5 by way of orifice The rotor is also provided with a plurality of 16. After the chamber I5 is fully charged with radial openings 35 intermediate the shoulders the combustible gas an igniting spark is sup- 32 formed by the groove 3|, such openings leadplied thru the spark plug 51 whereupon coming thru diverging passageways 36 to the exhaust, bustion of the confined gas takes place. As soon openings 31 at the outer end of the rotor. The as the first of the openings 35 reaches the orifice openings 35 are of less width than the cut away IS a portion of this gas w expand into and portion 54 and hence the inner end of the sliding thru the passageway 36 associated therewith, abutment .25 will not enter such openings as the thus imparting driving torque to the rotor. Durrotor revolves. ing continued rotation of the rotor the remain- The passageways 36 diverge constantly from ing gases of combustion within the chamber II the openings 35 to the exhaust openings 31 and will successively enter the openings 35 so that are also substantially U-shaped so that the gases the entire energy from the expanding gas will be are reversed in direction and simultaneously exextracted therefrom and imparted to the rotor panded whereby the energy of such gases is imand thence to the drive shaft 9.

parted to the rotor to effect rotation thereof. After the intake chamber 54 has passed the The exhaust openings 31 move into mating relascaveng Valve 50 the a 5 l move into tion with the exhaust chamber 40 in the head 6, positio to open u h valve and admi co i such chamber having a generally radial exhaust nd v ing air o he interior of the stator outlet 4| so that the burned gases can be ex- 3 and to the openi 35 and passageway! hausted to the atmosphere. 35 passing adjacent this valve. It is understood Another feature of the invention resides in h he v lv 50 w Subsequently 61056 fo the provision of a scavenging valve 50 which is h intake chamber 54 118-5 reached a Position provided rear'wardly of the sliding abutment 25. at which air thru the scavenging valve will enter This abutment is normally held'in closed posi such chamber. tion by means of the spring 5| but is operable What is claimed is: by means of the cam 52 on cam shaft 53 of the An internal combustion engine comprising, a valve actuating mechanism Ill. The timing of stator having an inlet and an outlet, a gas rethis valve will be such that opening will occur ceiving chamber associated with the stator and after the cut away portion or intake chamber having a Opening to the interior f, ns 54 of the rotor 8 has passed the valve inlet. The to admit a fuel charge to said chamber, a rotor opening of the valve serves to admit cool air from within the stator, Said rotor having a plurali y exteriorly of the stator 3 through the port 48 to of diverging passageways in an angular portion the portion of the rotor in which the passagethereof from the per p y o e end of the ways 36 are provided. rotor to conduct gases of combustion from the The sliding abutment 25 (Fig. 6) is rovided at p n h u h the diverging passageways to its inner end with a roller 55 which is provided the outlet so that torqu is pp to the rotor with a lubricant thru a passage way 56 longiby the expanding gases, means operable during tudinally of the abutment. The lubricant so supanother angular portion of each revolution of plied is instrumental in providing the necessary the rotor for compressing a combustible gas withlubrication to the roller and to provide a desired 55 in said chamber, means operable thereafter for seal between the sliding abutment and the rotor igniting the gases within the chamber, and valve 7 so that leakage of gases from within the chammeans operable during the passage of said first ber 54 past the sliding abutment will be avoided. mentioned angular portion thereby for admitting In this manner the intake gases are driven thru a cooling fluid to the rotor passages. the orifice l6 and into the compression chamber 60 HENRY V. WILCOXSON. 

